Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-04

On the morning after the robbcI.
Judge Hilton offered q reward Of $500
for the return Of the body and for IN
formation which would convict the par
ties implicated in the Outrage. Ih
inside history OF the case from this poin
IS now told 10y cX-Superintcndcnt Wall
ing rs follows:
THE FIRST CLUE.
James kcaly was captain O! detective
at that time. The first clue came from
General Patrick II. Jones, eX-postmastc
Of New York, who notified WalliDg tina
an cXsoldicr who had served under hin
claimed t. know something about th.
Stewart body. and with proper cncour
agomont would give information leading
TO its recovery. The superintendent
submitted the offer to Judge Hilton
who declared he would never pay on,
cent for Mr. Stewards bones unless they
came accompanied by the thieves IL
irons General Jones was persistent
He showed letters from the thieves. au1
"a few days later gave TO the police q
package expressed 10 him from Boston
containing conin-plato which wa, idcn
titled by the cngrycr who had done the
work
70 complete their Identification tn,
robbers sent piece OF peper that fitted
exactly the hole in the velvet cover oi
the coffin This is nov in the hands OF
Sexton Hamil and the coilin-plate is at
police headquarters. Judge Hilton To-
NAMED unatcrablc and the case va.
dropped by the authorities Mr. Stewart
strongly wished t. recover the body.
Learning this fact the robbers opcucdcor
respondcncc with her directly. la Jan
nary, 1852. General Jones brought a.
headquarters the silver knobs and several
of the handles belonging to the coffin.
lie also showed some letters which pur-
ported t. have been written in Canada
and were signed by Henry q. Ro
maine" With the first lcttcra hundred
dollar bill was enclosed as retainer ior
him to act as attorney for the return of
the body upon the payment of 800, W1p
The letter then went ON to say
NEGOTIATIONS BEGUN.
The remains were taken before H.
o'clock on the night Of the 9Th and not
at o'clock ON the morning of the eth of
November They wer, not taken away
IN carriage, but in "a grocore wagon.
rhcy were not taken TO any house mean
the graveyard, hut to one near Onc-hun-
drcdmlsiXticth street. They were
then enclosed in q zinc-liuod trunk and
left ON an carly morning train. They
went to Plattsburg aud from there 10 the
Dominion. There they were buried.
Except that the eyes have disappeared,
the flesh is as firm and the features ~
natural as the day of intcrmcut,
and can, therefore, be instantly idcnti-
tied. The enclosed piece of paper Is OK
actly the size Of the piece of velvet taken
from the coffin. while the small strip sent
you viii prove to he Of the same piece ms
that on the coffin. If any additional
proofs are required the plato will be sent
You upon inserting the following per
sonal in the New York UDaid: Cana
da.-Send p Counsel" If You decline
to act friend will call for the retainer
sent Won. When you are satisfied that
the relatives OF Mrs Stewart Will talk
business insert the following personal
i'm the New York Ucr0d:
"CANApA Will Do BT5I&EaH.-
CorNeEL.' Then Won will hear from me
again. HENRY q. RoNAISE.
UsIyG TIE NEWSPAPERS.
The package with the articles named
arry d, and the first personal Was in
serted. 4 reply came from Romline in
forming Jones that the plckaec contain
ing coffin plate had been sent 10y express
to avoid the publicity which would fol-
low examination by customs officers
The cofin-plate arrived and the second
personal was published. i few days
later Mr.. Jones wrote 20 Romano agree
ing to act as counsel, and saying that
judge Hilton was anxious to recover the
remains. The reply which came from
Boston on the 18th of February set forth
the terms upon which the body would
be restored.
They were as follows First. The
amount to be paid shall be $500, COO.
Second. The body will be delivered to
Won Yourself and Judge Hilton within
twenty-five miles OF the city OF Montreal
and no other person shall be present.
Third. The money 10 be placed IN
vour hands or under your control until
Judge Hilton is fully satisfied, when
Won will deliver it to my representative.
Fourth. Both parties to maintain for
ever an unbroAcn silence These are
the first, last, and only terms which will
receive attention.
Having communicated the contents of
this letter 10 Judge Hilton You will await
his decision. You will inform me OF that
bva personal " in the UcrUd.
"CANADA-TERNis ACCEPTED.
HILTON REFUSES THE TERMS.
Judge Hilton refused to agree to the
terms proposed and further declined to
negotiate through the medium Of per
sonals and informed Romano. He or
dered MIR. Jones TO open negotiations
with Mrs. Stewart. No notice was taken
of this request, but in March Judge Hill
ton made an offer of $4,000 for the
body. but Romano refused. This closed
the correspondence. The robbers be-
coming discouraged now offered to sell
the body for 800, 600. Mrs. Stewart was
willing and ordered her representatives
10 pay the amount. They delayed mat
tiers until the figure was reduced to $40
600, which was accepted.
The conditions OF delivery were Sc
we're. The messenger with the money
was to leave New York city at 10 p. NJ,
alone, with one-horse wagon, and
drive into Westchester county, along a
lonely road which was indicated on a
map sent by the thieves. Some time
before morning, if the man was acting
10 good faith and was not accompanied
or followed by detectives, he would be
met and given further directions. A
Young relative of Mrs. stewart undertook
the hazardous GRAND. Ii was 8 o'clock
in the morning when masked horse
,,,an ,oda nm oava the signal ag,aed on